1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of dental hygiene and more particularly to dental prophylaxis procedure.
2. Description of the Related Art
A principal task of all dental hygienists and many dentists is giving patients a dental prophylaxis. Dental prophylaxis is the cleaning of teeth by first scraping away built-up plaque, tartar and calculus, and then polishing the teeth surfaces. Prophylaxis is routinely performed to enhance the appearance of a patient's teeth and also impede reformation of plaque and calculus.
The dental prophylaxis procedure requires utilizing various dental instruments, some of which are pointed and extremely sharp. During a prophylaxis, these instruments are continually being coated with blood and debris, so that the dental care provider must frequently wipe the instruments to clean them.
One method presently used to clean instruments is simply to wipe them on the patient's bib. Not only is this method unprofessional and messy, it is also potentially hazardous to the patient because a careless motion could result in a sharp point penetrating the bib and puncturing the skin. A second method is to wipe instruments on a pile of tissue or cotton placed on a tray. This method is not widely used because contact between an instrument and the tissue or cotton sufficient to ensure adequate cleaning of both edges of the instrument cannot be easily or reliably achieved. Increasing instrument tip pressure against the pile generally results in the unsecured pile sliding over the tray surface. In a third method the dental care provider holds cotton balls, tissue, or gauze pads in the palm of one hand while probing the patient's mouth with an instrument held in the other. This method presently is in widest use because the provider can quickly and efficiently clean instruments. However, the method is potentially hazardous to the provider because he or she risks a puncture wound as well as the invasion of life threatening or otherwise harmful viruses and bacteria. The Center for Disease Control has recommended that this method be discontinued, but has yet to propose a substitute method.